Artificial limb.



B. CONNOR.V

ARTIFICIAL LIMB.

AIPLIUATION FILED 1,111.30, 1911.

1,001,856. Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

COLUMUI PLNOHPH CU., WASHINGTON, l), C.

attoznma @www1/hoz B. CONNOR.

ARTIFICIAL LIMB.

APPLIUATION FILED 1,111.30, 1911.

Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mewtoz Stima/w11:

BARTHOLOMEV CONNGR, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

ARTIFICIAL LIME.

Leonesa.

Specification of Letters Patent.

fllatiented Aug. 272, illtltit.

Application filed. January 30, 1911. Serial No. 605,556.

To all whom it may concern.'

Alie it known that l. lwirritononuw Conv Non, a citizen ot the United States; residing at liullialo; in the county ot ,ihie and titate oit New York, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Artificial Limbs; and l do declare the following to be a full; clear, and exact description ot the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to ilnln'ovementsl in artificial limbs.

One object ot the invention is to provide an artilieial lower limb having` an improved construction ot joint between the upper and lower sections thereot; whereby a lever aetion is 'provided which facilitates the use ot the limb in the act oit walking and which controls the knee action to ay large extent by bringing it'orward the part ot the limb below the knee in an easy and natural manner.

iinother object is to provide an in'lprovcd construction and arrangement: ol. supporting straps and suspenders whereby thelimb is securely held in place and access readily had to the supporting (flevices tor the pur pose of renewing or repairing them.

W ith these and other objects in view, the invention consists ot certain novel 'features of construction, and the combination and arrangement of parts as will be more t'ully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings :-li`igure l is a front perspective view of an artificial lower limb and suspending devices constrneted and arranged in accordance with this invention; Fig. Q is a rear elcvattioi't thereot'; F ig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of the limb and a portion ot the attaching devices showing in dotted lines the upper section ot the limb bent back and said section in an upright position in Yfull. lines; Fig. l is an enlarged detail side elevation oi" the combined joint and lever for moving the lower section oi the limb; Fig. 5 is a front edge view thereof; Fig. G is a detail side elevation ot. a portion of the limb showing another :torni oil? attaching devices; Fig. 7 is a similar view of still another form of the attaching devices.

In the embodiment illustrated, an artiticial limb is shown comprising a lower section or member 1, and an upper section 2.

t l l i it ing.

'l`he lower end oll the upper section 2 tits ind turns in the upper end nl" the lower ertion er member l to torni the knee joint ot the limb. 'lhe engaging ends ol the upper and lower sections l and 2 are pivob allv connected together on the` inner and outer sides otl the limb butY a. hinged eonnection in the form ott a ti".111,-wer.-a\lv extending bolt'l il. which is passed through the` upper and lower sections, as shown elearlv in Figs. l and l ln the 'l'orm shown in lligs. l to 5; upright operating levers 5 are secured to the inner and outer sides olE the lower section ol the limb and have a loose pivotal connecthion with the opposite ends ot the bolt il, bv means ol which the lower section olv the limb is swungl 'l'orward in the. act ol walk 'l'he lower portions` ol the levers 5 are riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to the opposite sides olf the lower section ot the limb and the upper ends ot the levers are provided with right' angularlir projecting oll'set heads, as t3, which are. recessed or slotted as shown and which ar` arranged in subshintialliV thc same horizontal plane as the pivot bolt. il. ln the slots tormed in the heads are revolubly mounted guide rollers T, the purpose ol' which will be hereina'tter described.

liiinb supporting and operatingstraps 8 are passed around the rollers or pulleys 7 in the heads and are adapted to slide loosely through the slots or recesses in the heads ot said levers 5. ,lhe trout' stretches ot the straps tl pass beneath guide cleats or keepers t) arranged on the front :tace ot the lever ol the upper section ot the limb; while the rear stretches o'l.2 the straps pass beneath similar guides l() secured to the rear tace oi the ripper limb section. The itrce ends ot the straps tl are detaclniblv connected to the ends o't suitable Suspenders l1A which are arranged over the shoulders and support the limb in place.

ln the 'form shown in Fig. (i, the heads t5 ot the operatingl levers 5 are arranged above the pivot bolt 2l, but are otherwise constructed and connected in the same manner as the levers 5, the heads t3 extending above the lower section oit the limb as is clearly shown in Fig. (5.

.ln the form shown in Fig. 7; the operating straps or levers 12 are iinlependent ot the pivot bolt 3 and are secured to the lower section l of the limb by riveting or in any other suitable manner with the roller' carrying heads thereof arranged adjacent to and in advance of the bolt 3, being approximately in the same horizontal plane therewith. This form of operating lever may be used temporarily to gage the position and size of the permanent attachment and which constitutes a very cheap connection and may be used on limbs of cheaper quality than those of the construction shown in the other figures.

By constructing and arranging the operating members and straps as herein shown and described, it will be seen that when walking the straps S and the members on the lower limbs with which they are slidably connected will cause the lower section of the limb to swing forwardly. It will also be obvious that by arranging the operating and attaching straps on the outside of the limb, that they may be readily adjusted and repaired without removing the limb.

From the foregoing construction, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to Without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention claimed.

claim as my invention l. An artificial limb comprising upper and lower sections pivotally connected together to form a linee joint, levers secured to the opposite sides of the lower section of the limb, operating straps having a sliding connection with the upper ends of said levers at a point in advance of the pivotal connection of said upper and lower sections, and suspenders connected with said straps.

2. An artificial limb comprising upper and lower sections hingedly connected together to form a knee joint, operating levers arranged on the inner and outer faces of the lower members of the limb, forwardly projecting oifset heads formed on the upper ends of said levers, guide pulleys arranged in the heads, operating straps having a sliding engagement with said pulleys, and Suspenders connected with the straps.

8. An artiiicial limb comprising upper and lower sections, one of said sections fitting into the end of the other section, a pivot bolt arranged through the engaging ends of said sections to hingedly connect them to form a knee joint, upright 'levers secured on opposite faces of the lower member of the limb and connected with the opposite ends of said pivot bolt, forwardly. extending laterally projecting recessed heads on said levers, guide rollers revolubly mounted in said recess-ed heads, and operating straps arranged on opposite sides of the limb and having a sliding engagement with said rollers, and suspenders connected with said straps whereby the limb is supported and the lower section thereof caused to swing forwardly in walking.

ln testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BARTHOLOMEV CONNOR.

Witnesses il. J. JOYCE, THOMAS M. CRowE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

